L'amore Reale
by Damara
Summary: The only thing he couldn’t have dealt with, was that she would never know how much he loved her...because he’d never told her…and after the events of their last mission…that was unacceptable.
1. Prologue

**Title: L'amore Reale**

**Author: Stephanie (AKA Damara)**

**Rating: K+**

**Disclaimer**: Ok everyone here's the spiel…these characters are not mine, they belong to J.J. and ABC. Although, if I had _my_ way that glorious man Michael would be all mine!

**Spoilers:** (Sydney/Vaughn) Set Post-Salvation and The Getaway.

**Summary: **The only thing he couldn't have died knowing, was that _she_ would never know how much he loved her. Because he'd never told her…and after the events of their last mission…that was unacceptable.

* * *

The abandoned warehouse was quiet as usual…dark and lonely.

CIA Agent Michael Vaughn stood pacing across the cement floor, strangely conscious of every hairline fracture he saw in the cement. Normally this location was reserved only as a rendezvous point for his debriefings with Sydney Bristow; but today it would serve another purpose.

This warehouse, over the last year and a half, had become a sort of comfort zone to him. Strangely, the connection he'd forged with the location provided a very distinct and real sense of solace for him.

_This territory was theirs…his and Sydney's; the one and only place where they could both meet without fear of prying eyes. _

And yet, while they both longed for more, and grasped at the sanctity of the connection that was theirs alone, they both shared the reality that their work must come first.

_Until now _

He'd accepted up to this point that they couldn't act on their feelings for one another, despite how terribly hard it was for him to do so. But after their latest brush with death, he simply couldn't use the dangers of the CIA and SD-6 as an excuse anymore.

He could have faced death; he could have accepted that fate knowing that it was a consequence of his loyalty and love for Sydney, for he wouldn't have been exposed to the virus that nearly claimed his life if not for her. The only thing he couldn't have died knowing, was that _she_ would never know how much he loved her.

Because he'd never told her…and after the events of their last mission…that was unacceptable.

Whether it was a result of his fear of discovery by higher ranking officers, putting her life in jeopardy or even her rejection of the same sentiments, it didn't matter any longer. If he never did anything else for the rest of his life, he had to at least tell her the truth.

He owed her that much. And more importantly, he loved her too much to deny it to himself any longer…hence his reason for summoning Sydney's father, Jack, to this secret warehouse.

Vaughn knew that he needed to make his intentions to Jack known; he'd come to respect the tumultuous relationship between Sydney and her father over the course of their work together. But also he recognized the logistical reasoning behind such a meeting.

Jack and he would most certainly need to continue working together; and he needed him to know that his feelings for Sydney were significant enough to warrant taking the risk that they might be discovered.

He only hoped that Jack Bristow wouldn't shoot him on the spot when he heard what he had to say.

* * *


	2. Chapter One

* * *

Chapter 1

"Agent Vaughn," Sydney's father acknowledges him by way of greeting.

"Jack," Vaughn returns with equal strength of voice and confidence. It's not long however before he feels his confidence draining.

Jack Bristow could be a very intimidating presence, "I realize that the reason I've called you here might seem rather unorthodox and even unethical, especially if Kendall or Devlin find why I've arranged this meeting. But I need to talk to you about something."

Becoming rather confused Jack concentrates his stare on the man in front of him. Both men meet stares as Vaughn continues.

"Over the last year and a half we've been working together we've seen eye to eye in certain issues and disagreed in others. We've worked alongside one another, and through our cases together, I feel we've built a healthy respect for one another's abilities as an agent. We've been forced into alliances and had to face disastrous consequences and ugly personal demons." Pausing for a brief moment he forges on, "Derevko's reappearance into both our lives has no doubt added a distinct degree of difficulty to each and every operation since her surrender. But even despite our differences, I think we can both agree that there has always been one unwavering source of strength in both our lives…one that has encouraged us to fight in this seemingly never-ending battle with SD-6 and the Alliance."

Nodding thoughtfully Jack finishes Vaughn's sentence effortlessly and with one simple word, "Sydney."

Vaughn nods agreement and smiles, "No matter our differences, the one thing we've always agreed on is our loyalty to her. And while in some instances we've measured our loyalty by different methods, the one person we've consistently fought to protect is Sydney. As your fellow agent you rely on her and trust her. As your daughter you love her and protect her. And what few people who've ever had the privilege to work with you learn is that the line separating those concerns and priorities is microscopically thin. I know I didn't appreciate the depth of your devotion to her until I witnessed it firsthand."

"Vaughn, I'm touched," Jack interrupts in a timely and irritated fashion. "And while I have my suspicions about where this is going, I have nothing to respond to until you tell me what I'm doing here. So please, if you will…cut to the chase?"

Frowning at Jack's terseness, Vaughn tells him quickly, "I'm love with your daughter."

Braving a quick look up at Jack to gauge his reaction he's startled by the change in his expression; and suddenly he feels empowered by it.

"I've fought my feelings until now for fear of being discovered by the CIA and being removed as her handler. Because, the fact is…I don't trust anyone else to be responsible for her safety. I've kept silent because despite my profession I've tried to live a normal life. But knowing your daughter has made any attempts at normalcy futile. And as I'm sure you can appreciate…the threats to our relationship extend much further than Kendall or Devlin or any CIA regulation."

The silence between the two men is deafening but also strangely comforting.

"I'm here asking your advice because I respect your judgment as an agent. That and I know that if there's one other person other than myself who would do anything to protect Sydney and see her happy, it's you."

As always, Jack Bristow is careful to guard his emotions. With even tempered thoughtfulness he absorbs what he's heard, all the while realizing that he'd already known what this young man just confessed.

He wasn't blind. He was aware of the intimate interaction this man shared with Sydney; he was reassured by it time and time again. He'd always taken comfort in the knowledge that his daughter had a friend in the man before him, someone with whom she could confide her feelings and thoughts…even if it had appeared a liability to their safety at one time or another.

"Agent Vaughn, I certainly make no claim to be a model father to my daughter. I've made numerous errors over the course of her life. I was never there for her the way that I should have been. And…the loss of her mother when she was just a young girl affected her deeply; especially since my…my work kept me away much of the time."

Shaking his head disappointingly Jack continues, "I fear that my absence created an environment where she felt vulnerable. It's out of that failure of mine as a parent that I push her so hard now that she's an adult."

Nodding his deep understanding, Vaughn continues to give Jack his fullest attention. He'd been Sydney's sounding board on several occasions. He liked to think that was because she trusted him implicitly and wanted to share her feelings with him.

"What I want most for my daughter is for her to be happy. I want her to be free of this life. I had hoped once that Danny could do that for her, but somehow I knew better. He didn't know her. He only knew the person she pretended everyday to be; he never knew my daughter the way she deserved."

Suddenly the sadness of these realizations hits Vaughn full-force. And finally he was beginning to understand what Jack was telling him. Sydney Bristow needed to feel real; she needed the security of feeling like a real woman in a real relationship. And instantly Vaughn wanted to be the one to give her that.

"Jack…there is nothing I wouldn't do to make Sydney happy…or to keep her safe," he interjects.

Nodding slightly Jack finishes his thoughts rather bluntly and honestly. "I cannot give you my blessing to do what I'm sure you're going to do anyway. Because I can't in good conscience condone such risky behavior when the price may be my daughter's life."

Vaughn looks stricken at this, "However I realize that my daughter is a grown woman, and her choices are her own. I cannot deny her the opportunity to live as much of a normal life as possible."

Disappointed that this isn't the reaction he'd been hoping for, Vaughn begins to speak up before being cut off, "I can certainly understand your concerns for…"

"I'm not finished." Jack says shortly. "While I can't imagine how such a relationship would work under our circumstances…I know you love Sydney for all the reasons that Danny couldn't. Despite the dangers involved you're determined to be with her. And I respect that. In fact I admire it."

Now Vaughn was truly shocked, "You're an honorable man Vaughn. And if there has to be someone to replace me as the man in my daughter's life…I'm glad it's you."

Flabbergasted, that was the only word to describe the way that Vaughn felt after hearing those words.

He almost didn't know what to do.

"Wow…" he had to pause to frame a coherent thought, "Jack, I'm…"

"Look let's not make a big production out of this alright? I don't want to hug or anything." This elicits a laugh from them both; although it was probably more the result of the nervous tension between them.

"I'm just letting you know where I stand since you seemed to want to know."

"I appreciate your honesty," Vaughn replies with a tight smile.

"Right. I need to get back to SD-6. Sloane has scheduled a mission debrief for 2:30. I'm sure Sydney will contact you later with the details."

"Right," Vaughn answers as Jack turns away and takes a few steps toward the fence. "Jack!" he calls at the last possible second.

As Jack Bristow turns to face him, a silent exchange passing between the two men.

_Thank you…_

…_Break her heart and I'll break you!_

_

* * *

_

Thoughts? Should I continue? Scrap it? Feed it to my puppy?


	3. Chapter Two

* * *

"Connor MacBride."

Sloane announces the name of their latest target in the same monotone he always reserved for these meetings. Sydney's rapt attention is focused, not on the oversized picture of MacBride being displayed on the wall, but instead on her father who's sitting across from her.

_Something about his demeanor this afternoon was different. _

From the time she was a little girl Sydney could always detect when something was bothering him. He would become very reserved and contemplative; not that those descriptors weren't usually appropriate for Jack Bristow. But something about him today was off. He had hardly even looked at her since he'd returned from lunch…it was like he was avoiding her for some reason.

"MacBride is an Irish national thought to have alliances with the Irish Republican Army. In addition, he's a self-made millionaire whose fortune is the result of a carefully orchestrated illegal arms operation and smuggling ring. Recent communicade with SD-4 ­­­­indicates that MacBride has come into possession of one of Milo Rambaldi's artifacts. A device which if left in the wrong hands can become a very dangerous weapon."

_Great, just what I needed today!_

"Intel indicates that MacBride has no invested interest in the device except to sell it for top dollar to the highest bidder," Sloane continues.

"He doesn't know what it's capable of?" Sydney's astonishment is not lost on any of them.

"No, thankfully it appears he doesn't. And considering his ignorance of its power, you're mission should be fairly simple," Sloane is solely addressing Sydney at this point. "Posing as a prospective buyer you'll gain entrance into MacBride's estate and extract the device."

Nodding her understanding, she takes one last glance in her father's direction as she notices that he's now watching her intently. Diverting his eyes once he realizes she's caught him he returns his full attention to the proceedings at hand, and she wisely does the same.

"MacBride's security detail will no doubt be patrolling the wing where the device is being kept, but your training and adeptness should prove no match for them." Sloane's confident smile and the look of pride on his face when he addresses her makes her want to wretch; but maintaining her composure, and suppressing the urge to lunge at him and snap his neck, she thinks better of her frustration and instead manages a tight smile in his direction.

Sensing his daughter's disgust Jack tries to steer Sloane into a more detailed explanation of this latest mission.

"What does this device look like?"

* * *

Upon the conclusion of the mission debrief, Sydney asks her father to stay behind for a minute. After taking a quick moment to ensure that the room is secure she releases her carefully controlled frustration.

"Every time he looks at me with that prideful smile I want reach over and strangle him with his necktie." Her blatant admission makes him almost crack a smile in fatherly pride; instead Jack just appeases her with a thoughtful look. It was all he could do himself to contain his anger whenever Arvin Sloane looked at his daughter with that perverse fatherly affection.

"Are you going to be alright by yourself on this op?" While his words imply obvious concern, the stoic way in which he delivers them wouldn't give away the true level of his concern to anyone but her. Controlled though it is, Sydney is touched by his attentiveness.

Smiling her reassurance she promises, "I'll be fine."

Slightly confused then he asks, "Then why did you want to talk?"

Cutting to the chase she asks him, "Is everything alright?"

If she was being honest with herself, his demeanor earlier was unnerving to her. "You seem…preoccupied since you came back from lunch." She needed to be careful with her words; she didn't want to upset him, and neither did she want to give anything away in case they were being watched.

Instantly she notices the same distracted look in his eyes as before. "I've just got a lot on my mind Sydney. I'm fine, probably just tired." He's using his dismissive tone now, the one that made her feel like she was a little girl all over again.

"Dad, you know you can tell me if there's something bothering you? I realize we haven't always had the ideal father daughter relationship, but you are still my father. And with all that's happened in the last year…"

"I understand that Sydney…and I am not trying to upset you. There's just nothing you can do. I'm fine."

Nodding her comprehension that this subject was not something he wanted to discuss she tries to excuse herself, "Okay. Well, I should get going. I'll have to make the appropriate "preparations" before my flight to Dublin", the insinuation of her CIA debriefing with Vaughn was evident.

At the mention of her intentions, Jack feels the need to ask his daughter a very important question.

"Sydney?" The tenderness in his voice stops her instantly and threatens to pull tears from her eyes…he hadn't used that tone calling her name since she was a little girl. Turning to face him she is amazed to see the sudden warmth in his gaze. It floored her how beautifully complex her father could be.

But nothing could have prepared her for what he was about to ask.

"Are you in love?"

"What?" Her response was nearly a whisper.

He repeats his question quietly, all the while praying that she would have enough faith in him to entrust him with the truth. "Are you in love?"

Tears well in her eyes as she tries to piece together an answer, "Dad…I'm…are you talking about…" Realizing that this sudden question came on the heels of her mentioning of Vaughn, she begins to comprehend what he's asking her.

"I am." His confirmation was quiet but steady as tears begin to stream down her cheeks and blur her line of sight.

She couldn't form a verbal response, instead looking at her father she nods her answer and watches as he grins in response. Watching as he closes the little distance between them, she realizes that she's just confided something in him that she wouldn't even admit to herself.

Once he approaches, she allows herself the comfort of his embrace. Holding his daughter close, Jack squeezes her affectionately as he realizes the magnitude of this moment between them.

After a moment of indulging in their embrace, he gently extracts himself from her and smiles tenderly. Leaning forward he places a kiss atop her forehead…something he shamefully realized he hadn't done in years.

"Then tell him…and be happy," he whispers with difficulty.

For in that moment, Jack Bristow painfully understood that for every father who had a daughter, there came a moment of surrender.

…And in such a moment, a father's last responsibility became the relinquishing of their position as the most important man in their daughter's life.

And this Jack realized…was _his_ moment.

* * *


	4. Chapter Three

* * *

After his meeting with Jack, Vaughn was inspired with a new sense of purpose. For the first time since he'd med Sydney he felt like his life was finally coming together to form a clear picture of his future. For the last year and a half, Vaughn hadn't let himself consider the future. He thought for some reason that to do that would create premature hopefulness that an end for SD-6 was in sight.

He wouldn't let himself imagine what that would be like just yet because the only thing worse in his mind then the wait for a tactical opportunity to bring down the Alliance…was the thought that an opportunity might never come.

Reason alone told him that there _would_ eventually be an end…too many good agents and operations were invested now for there not to be an end. But the crushing fear that he lived with everyday, was the idea that Sydney might meet an opponent she couldn't gain the upper-hand against before that day came. The possibility that she may not return from one her missions terrified him…to the extent that he experienced night terrors over it.

Since the night she'd taken his hand for comfort on the pier, he was simply unable to imagine the rest of his life without her. If anything _were_ to happen to her, he honestly didn't know what would become of him.

Walking through the corridor to the OPS center he tells himself not to think about such things; to do so was the equivalent of admitting defeat. But he also realized that it was impossible for him to push those thoughts away; they were ever present in his mind…just like his love for Sydney Bristow.

"Hey!" Vaughn is jerked out of his reverie by the sound of his best friend's voice. Suddenly aware of his surroundings he gestures a 'hello' with a small nod of his head as he tries to hide his distracted mood.

Weiss however is easily able to pick up on his friend's quiet reflections, "So how'd your pow-wow with Papa Bristow go?"

Vaughn can't help but smile a little at Weiss' humor; and suddenly the reminder of Jack's encouragement creates a lopsided grin that conveys to Weiss the extent of his relief.

"Surprisingly well", Vaughn answers.

"The fact that you're standing here in one piece is a pretty strong indication of that," then more seriously, "what did he say?"

Pausing for a moment to collect the right words Vaughn explains, "In his own way he told me that he appreciates my feelings for Sydney. And that he wouldn't be totally against the idea of a relationship between us…assuming of course that we're careful not to let the way we feel about each other jeopardize her situation."

"Really?" Weiss is startled into disbelief, "Well, that's…surprisingly reasonable coming from Jack Bristow."

Shrugging Vaughn adds, "It was certainly a reasonable request considering our circumstances."

"So…have you talked to Sydney yet?"

"No, not yet."

Upon catching Weiss's dubious expression Vaughn feels the need to elaborate, "Jack said that she'd probably contact me, apparently Sloane is sending her on a mission. I assume she'll establish contact soon to go over the details."

Vaughn's quick segue into CIA Handler mode makes Weiss smirk. His sly grin prompts curiosity from Vaughn, "What?"

"Michael you and I both know that you aren't going to talk shop when you see her."

Through a slightly embarrassed smile Vaughn tells him, "Well, it won't be the _major_ topic of conversation, no. But what do you expect is going to happen? I'm going to tell her how I feel and she's just going to fall into my arms and tell me she loves me?"

Weiss's response is a seriously dumbfounded expression, "Well…yeah."

"Why do I even talk to you about this stuff?" he muses aloud more to himself than to Weiss.

"You talk to me about it because you know I'm the only other sap, besides Donavon, you have who will listen to you mope about her without taking a weapon to your head," Weiss jokes and once again makes Vaughn smile.

Slightly more serious now he asks, "So, what are you going to tell her?"

Shrugging Vaughn responds honestly, "I don't know. It's not like I have a script written or anything." A momentary silence engulfs the air between them, and then with an expressive gleam in his eyes he continues, "When I see her…I'm confident that the right words will come to me."

Nodding his approval, Eric persists in his interrogation, "Well, what aren't you going to tell her then?"

Somewhat frustrated now, Vaughn lets his annoyance creep into his answer, "Eric! What is with the twenty questions routine? Why are you so hung up on this anyway?"

Vaughn's short tempered response elicits a smart remark from his friend, "Mike, two things here okay? First of all…do you know how _lucky_ you are to be in this situation? She loves you, you love her…at this point the only things keeping you from being together are the right words and a little courage to say them. So for those of us who _don't_ have the luxury of a beautiful woman pining for us…quit being so stingy with the details and give me at least the allusion of a love life!"

"….And secondly," he pauses as Vaughn gives him his rapt attention, "It wouldn't be a bad idea if you considered all the things you could and probably would say to her but _shouldn't_."

Realization dawns on Vaughn as he recognizes the truth in that statement. Suddenly he can't look his best friend in the eye. "You're right Eric."

"I know. But thanks for your acknowledgment."

"There _are_ certain things I don't want her to know quite yet, well one thing anyway…my investigation into her mother."

Those few words were layered with meaning for Weiss, as he was the one person who understood the deep sense of betrayal Vaughn felt for conducting his private investigation into Irina Derevko. He also appreciated the emotional struggle raging within him since the moment he'd been told Derevko had turned herself into the CIA.

It was easy to hate the woman who killed his father while she was eluding the justice…but now that she was seemingly aiding the CIA it was difficult to compartmentalize his feelings.

"See? Have you told her about the nightmares?" Weiss presses. Still avoiding his gaze Vaughn shakes his head 'no'.

Weiss is incredulous now, "Why not?"

"What would be the purpose? It would only give her one more thing to worry about," Vaughn reasons.

"Mike, you should tell her. It would be good for both of you."

"Maybe," he partially agrees.

"Look, I know I'm no expert on love. But take some advice from your best friend who nearly died…"

Finally looking up at his friend and meeting his eyes, Vaughn listens intently. "You never know when the end is going to sneak up on you, especially in our line of work. Don't leave things unsaid. You'll only regret not having the courage to say them later."

Nodding at the profundity of that statement Vaughn gestures his acceptance, "I understand."

"Good," Weiss is obviously pleased. "Well I think I've spent enough time today counseling your sorry ass. You know…I should start charging you for these therapy sessions of ours…I'd be a millionaire by now."

Scoffing, Vaughn smiles as Weiss pats him on the shoulder. "Good luck man. Talk to you later?"

"Yeah…later! Thanks."

"Hey what are nosey friends for right?"

As Weiss disappears into the clutter of CIA agents around him, Vaughn quietly reflects on what's been said between them. Weiss had been right when he called him a lucky man; he had a best friend he could count on for anything, and hopefully he'd have the love of the best person he'd ever known to guide him.

Setting his resolve to be courageous enough to tell Sydney everything he knew he had to, Vaughn slowly heads to his desk to organize his thoughts.

_He had to try to get some work done in the next couple of hours_

"Agent Vaughn!" He turns his attention at the sound of his name. There beside his desk, stood a younger agent he recognized. "I've been sent to inform you that Agent Bristow made a dead drop. Report to Agent Kendall for further instructions."

"Thank you," Vaughn automatically responds. It appeared he'd be getting the excuse he needed to see Sydney sooner than he'd expected. Smiling in carefully controlled excitement he couldn't help thinking that things were about to finally get interesting.

* * *

_Next Chapter...Syd and Will :o)_


	5. Chapter Four

* * *

"No way! Your dad really said that?" Will Tippin was incredulous.

"I know…I think I'm still in shock myself." The sheer excitement that Sydney radiated was a wonderful sight for Will to see. He couldn't honestly remember her ever looking this happy at any point in the last two years.

"But you want to know what the weirdest part about it was? It felt almost…natural. Like admitting to my dad the way that I feel about Vaughn wasn't that big a deal…so much so that I didn't even give the fact that I was revealing my biggest personal secret to him a second thought." Will couldn't help becoming completely mesmerized by her as she became lost in her reliving of the moment.

"Well that's a good thing right? I mean you've tried so hard these last couple of years to bridge the gap between you and your dad. Didn't it feel good to be able to confide in him that way?"

Suddenly her demeanor softens and she becomes thoughtful as she stops packing her bag to sit next to him at the foot of her bed. "Yeah it did. But it also scared me a little too."

"Why?" Will realized that these moments he shared with Sydney were precious to him; their friendship was precious to him. Sitting beside her as she confided in him like only a best friend could, he felt blessed to have her in his life.

"It scared me because I'm in love with Vaughn. After what happened to Danny, I swore to myself that I would never let Arvin Sloane hurt another person that I loved. I refuse to let him take anyone else away from me Will." The strength with which she'd survived the last couple of years was incredible to him, but what amazed Will the most, was Sydney's unwavering determination to have again what she'd lost when Danny was murdered.

"Vaughn and I have resisted one another for as long as we have because we appreciate that our work must come first. Sloane and the Alliance must be brought to justice, and it's because of that that we've kept our distance. But what scares me most is the idea that Sloane would discover our relationship and take another man that I love away from me." Putting an arm around her shoulders Will pulled her close to him in a comforting embrace.

"Sydney…" his whisper was meant in part to console her and in part to remind her that he was there to help push the demons away.

"I couldn't survive that again…," she quietly tears against his shoulder.

"Shhh…" he murmurs against her hair. "Vaughn is the luckiest man in the world you know that?"

She snorts through her tears at the oddness of his timing, "Will, I'm being serious."

"So am I Syd," he protests. "Listen…Vaughn knows the risks involved in being in a relationship with you. And he still cares for you because he knows, and I'm sure you do too, that what you two have is worth the risk." Teary-eyed Sydney lifts her head from his shoulder and wipes at her cheek as he continues softly, "You work so hard…and risk your lives everyday saving people who don't know enough to be grateful…don't deny yourself the happiness you deserve."

A tender, grateful smile comes over her lips, "You know something…you're right. Thank you, Will."

"Of course I am…and you're welcome." Then the blunt intrusion of the ringing telephone makes her grimace as she stands to move and answer it.

"Hello?"

"Joey's Pizza?" the familiar voice she knew so well brought a bright smile back to her lips as she quickly reminded herself of the appropriate response.

"Wrong number," Placing the receiver back into its cradle she turns toward Will, the anticipation of her impending meeting clearly visible in her face.

_Yes,_ she decided

…_they'd resisted each other long enough._

* * *


	6. Chapter Five

_

* * *

**The Warehouse**

* * *

_

The click of heels echoed off the cement walls of the warehouse as Vaughn waited in anticipation.

_He'd never been so scared and excited in all his life. _

Then as the clicking grew louder and the object of his affection grew closer, his heart raced beneath his chest. When finally he caught sight of her, any nervousness or fear was instantly quelled at the sight of her angelic smile. She had an amazing calming effect on him he realized, though he didn't know how.

Hands in his pockets he stood still in his position until she was just a few feet away.

"Hey," he heard her speak quietly.

"Hey", he responded just as quietly. Then a small comfortable silence claimed the moment as they simply exchanged glances. When they do finally decide to break their silence, they do so simultaneously.

"How have you…" "What have you…?"

They share a laugh meant to break the tension.

"You first," he tells her with an encouraging smile.

"How have you been?"

"Good actually, although it's been kind of a long, strange day." Considering how her day had started, she couldn't disagree with him.

Curious though she asks, "How so?"

At his grin she turns even more curious, "I'll tell you all about it in a minute. But first…Kendall has authorized your suggested tactical plan with regard to MacBride. Your counter mission _will_ be to extract the device as planned by SD-6, but when you get to the airport for your return flight, there'll be an agent standing by to intercept the real device and replace it with a counterfeit. Since you'll be operating alone on this Op, making the switch should be fairly simple."

Nodding as Vaughn continues to fully explain the details of her counter mission Sydney's mind is quickly distracted. She can't help but admit to herself how much she secretly loved how faithfully he executed his role as handler. His first priority was always her safety, and it warmed her heart that he protected her so well.

Before long all precautions regarding the mission were discussed and the air filled again with tension. There was so much left to be said between them. The problem was that neither one knew where to start, nor did they know what was appropriate.

"Sydney, I met with your father today." He starts openly.

"I know."

Shocked he questions, "He told you?"

Shaking her head she explains, "Not exactly." At his strange look she thinks that maybe he's upset, "He didn't tell me what you guys talked about or anything. I just know that you met during lunch."

Relaxing now he tries to think of what to say next.

"Sydney…I've wanted to tell you so much for so long that I..." Looking up at her he continues upon her nodding of encouragement. "You're father and I met this afternoon to discuss, among other things, the fact that I can't continue to pretend that our relationship is entirely professional."

Swallowing nervously she asks, "What exactly do you mean?"

"Sydney, you must know by now that my feelings for you run far deeper than is acceptable for a CIA handler and his asset." He's skirting the real issue now but he can't help the nervous knot twisting in his stomach.

Her eyes dart back and forth to his and she tries to catch her breath. "I've suspected that there was more…." Her confirmation causes him to nod thoughtfully. "You know too that I care for you very deeply."

Now that he's confident enough to move this conversation to the next level. "I do. What I don't know is how deeply?"

"Vaughn…" she starts but he interrupts fearing she's backpedaling.

"Sydney, I honestly don't know which is more exhausting…chasing all over the world for a lead on Sloane or constantly pretending that being around you doesn't affect me."

She lifts her head at that admission and tears threaten to well in her eyes at the sincerity and tenderness in his voice as he speaks this next admission, "I think you know that I love you."

Unable to form words to respond she manages to nod instead, all the while fighting the tears she knows are coming.

"Me too," she manages and suddenly something visibly changes in him…he's void of any fear or nervousness.

"What are we so afraid of?" She realized then what he was really asking was why they were denying each other what they knew they both wanted. But Sydney knew only why _she_ was so afraid. And she knew that now was the time to share those fears with him.

Quietly she confesses, "I couldn't survive losing another man that I love."

And suddenly with those words he understood something he'd never considered before. All this time denying their real feelings, he'd selfishly thought that he'd been the one keeping _her_ safe. What he'd never taken into consideration was the possibility that she'd been the one protecting him. Stepping closer he reaches forward and gently lifts her face upward with a finger under her chin.

She was crying, and the pain he felt at the sight of tears cascading from her brown orbs punched through to his soul.

"I'm not going anywhere Sydney. I've always known the dangers involved with taking this assignment…what I never counted on was falling so deeply in love with you." His hands cradling her face; he wipes at the tears covering her cheeks. "I know the dangers…but I also know that after everything we've been through together…there's nothing I would let separate us. I'm not giving you up without the fight of my life."

Smiling meekly through her tears, she gestures her appreciation of the intimacy between them as they share their greatest fears with one another.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Quiet claims them both as he pulls in a deep breath to steady his emotions. He's unsure how to respond; but then she gives him a slight reprieve by asking an equally difficult, but more pointed question.

"What are you afraid of?" She asks him, fully aware of the fact that he may simply choose not to share his fears with her. Still holding her close and tending to her unruly lochs, he wisps a strand out of her face.

"I have nightmares when you're away on missions. Sometimes they seem so real, that I wake up in the middle of the night fighting the urge to break protocol and contact you…just to make sure you're alright." He's avoiding her penetrating gaze, aware that he lacks the emotional control to look her in the eyes and admit these things.

"Most of the time…it's just easier trying to fight falling asleep than it is dealing with the nightmares when they come."

"Vaughn", she whispers with emotion, "why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry. Besides, it's not something I can control. Your knowing about it would have only distracted you from doing what you needed to," he reasons logically. Of course, she realized, he was slipping back into his comfortable role as her handler. And while it often angered her that he made decisions about what she should and should not know, she knew he felt that he was protecting her.

Nodding her understanding of his reasoning, she continued to listen to his explanation. It seemed as though they'd been here so many times before, silently hurting one another by withholding their emotions. Now though, she couldn't help but think that that was all about to change.

"I'm only telling you now, because these last few weeks…I've begun to wonder if we'll miss our chance because we were too busy blindly following orders."

Looking up at him, her eyes misty with unshed tears she instantly recognizes his fear. "We're our own worst enemies aren't we?"

Their constant strict adherence to the rules kept them from exploring their unspoken affections for one another.

It was silent torture.

"Yeah, I think so."

Lifting his hand to her side, he gently caresses her upper arm. "I can't escape the fear that every time you leave this warehouse, it might be the last time I see you." Her eyes dart away from his piercing gaze and the warmth of his caress through her jacket seemingly radiates to every part of her body. "We struggle everyday to preserve peace for total strangers, why can't we put just as much effort into making each other happy?"

Aware that the sensations he's eliciting from her are distracting them from other considerations, she takes a step back and away from him. Turning in the opposite direction she faces the chain link fence behind her. As wonderful as he was making her feel with his words, she couldn't allow herself to be led solely by her emotions this time. There was too much at stake and too many agencies involved for them to jeopardize all they'd worked for.

Finally gathering her composure enough to speak, she responds to his heartfelt admissions, "So where does this leave us?" Spinning on her heel she turns to face him again and is struck by the look of disappointment in his features. She knew he appreciated the enormity of their situation, but his expressive eyes made her wonder if he hadn't held hope that she would just forget about their responsibilities and throw herself into his arms.

God, she wanted to do just that. How would she make him understand?

"Vaughn, it's not as if we can just…you know? There are things, other people to consider." Her quiet tone made him realize what 'other people' she was referring to.

"Sydney…Alice hasn't been an issue between us for a lot longer than you realize. It's true that after her father died I was there for her…to help her cope with the loss. But she always understood I was only there as a friend." Her relief was not lost on him as she seemed to visibly relax upon hearing those words.

"But Alice isn't the only issue to consider here Vaughn. There are so many things…your father, my mother, the alliance, the CIA…god, sometimes the list never seems to end."

"Sydney, what's happened in the past isn't something we can let control us now. You're not responsible for what your mother did Sydney. You lost a parent too when Laura Bristow disappeared. What happened to my father is difficult to reconcile I admit. But I can deal with it; I've had a lifetime to adjust." He notices as the guilt begins to disappear from her beautiful brown eyes that he loved so much.

"And as for the Alliance and the CIA," he continues, "…Syd what we're doing is so important and dangerous. And it has to be done. But, I just don't want to reach a point where things between us are left unsaid or undone…and have to realize that our chance has been taken away from us." She understood that statement deeply. The reality that one or both of them could be killed was one that they lived with everyday.

"I know," she feared that too.

"We feel the way we do about each other despite our situation. Maybe we were always meant to find each other."

"I've thought about that too," she admits slowly. "There are so many different things that tie us together…too many instances that connect our lives for it to all be just coincidence."

"And if it's true that everything in our lives have led us here, then what do we do about that Sydney?" His voice quiet and urgent, his green orbs searching hers, pleading.

Inching closer to him, she whispers under her breath, "I don't want to let our chance slip away either."

Reaching her hands up and around his shoulders she draws her body closer to his. With a guiding hand wrapped around her waist he brings her flush against him, and both feel the pounding of their heartbeats in their chest. As her fingers settle at the nape of his neck he finally closes the remaining space between them and covers her lips with his. Their kiss begins as soft and probing, the sensations caused by the touch of skin on skin making them both lightheaded in their need to create more contact. Grasping at his shoulders, his shirt, anywhere she can, Sydney makes her best effort to remain upright and not dissolve into a liquid puddle. And while logically she knew their lips touched for only a few long seconds, she felt as though she'd been lost in him for an eternity.

Breathing raggedly, they mutually part for air as Vaughn's voice rasps with desire, "God, I've wanted to do that for so long."

Releasing an excited breath she can't control her wandering hands as they start at his face and move to cup his chin. Whispering with a mixture of passion and excitement she tells him quietly, "Probably not as long as I have." Her reply is met with a beautiful smile from him.

Enveloping her in a tender embrace, he wraps her warm responsive body in his ever comforting embrace. Resting her head against his shoulder, her own arms low around his waist, she sighs as he nuzzles her neck and whispers in a passionate tone she'd never heard from him before this moment, "I love you."

_I could definitely get used to this_, she decided with a smile.

Lifting her head from its resting place on his shoulder, she looks deep into his eyes and says the words aloud to him for the first time. "I love you too."

Upon hearing her voice the words he'd longed to hear for so long, a smile so bright and beautiful lights his features that Sydney determines to make him do it as often as humanly possible. Leaning into his body, she eagerly begins kissing him for the second time.

This second kiss was slightly more familiar, and lasted longer than the first…but was equally gentle and passionate.

Naturally however, as the progression of their kiss created more urgency and passion, the shrill interruption of her blaring pager harshly forces them both back into reality. Groaning at the loss of her warmth as she pulls away to turn it off, Vaughn reluctantly realizes that she should be leaving to catch her plane.

Looking up at him apologetically, sadness claims her as she realizes what he's about to say. He doesn't disappoint her, "As much as I hate to say it, especially at this particular moment…you should probably go. Your flight leaves in just over an hour."

"I know…duty calls," her dejected tone pulls at his heart. With one of his hands at her waist and the other at her neck he gently pulls her into him and drops a kiss atop her forehead, although whether it was meant to calm her or himself he wasn't sure.

Sighing, she tilts her head up and meets his lips in another short kiss. Reluctantly they disentangle from one another and force a little distance between them, knowing that this would be the hardest goodbye they'd ever said to each other.

"Promise me we'll find a way to make this work?" she quietly pleads.

Without hesitation he tells her with conviction, "We will. I know we will."

Her eyes still pleading, "How do you know?"

His voice a little shaky with emotion bottled up until now, "Because…nothing is going to take you away from me…I won't let it."

"Vaughn…" she was near tears for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

"Promise me you'll be careful in Dublin." His voice held an almost desperate quality now; it wasn't questioning…it was urgent. "Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"I promise."

Even though he nods his relief at her assurance, he also recognizes the futility of making such pledges. He knew, as she did, that the greatest danger of these missions was always their unpredictability. But despite that, he also knew that she was strongest when she was forced to be resourceful.

"You'd better get going," the vulnerability in his eyes betrayed the strength in his voice.

She knew he was right and once again she cursed their circumstances. Smiling softly, "You'll be on coms?"

"Of course." Interlacing their fingers he pleads one last time, "Be careful."

Taking a step back and away from him she keeps her eyes on his for as long as their fingers are connected. Silently their eyes communicated everything important between them, endearment and trust, fear and faith…until both are left standing at arms length, their hands barely touching.

When finally she's stepped out of his reach, Vaughn's arm falls back at his side. Strangely it dawns on him how empty his arms feel without her in them. They'd only enjoyed their closeness for a few fleeting seconds today, but already he ached to hold her against him again. It was amazing to him that he could already feel a connection of that intensity to her. Until of course he realized that their connection had always been that strong…they'd just denied it for so long.

Standing behind her as she slowly walks away from him and out of the warehouse, he watches her as the distance between them grows and she's eventually gone from his sight.

He could only pray that she would be safe on this mission, as he did for every mission.

But he had more than just his hope and faith alone now that she would return to him safely. In her eyes he'd seen her determination as well. Determination to share more of the moments they'd just had together. And with a smile as he remembered the warmth of her lips on his…he knew that she'd fight tooth and nail to be in his arms again.

* * *

_**Okay everybody...this marks the end of this story...I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! And if you would please...take a moment to review :o)**_


End file.
